Tennysonia stellata (Tennyson’s star bryozoan)

Tennysonia stellata Tennyson’s star bryozoan is a found in the sea off South Africa.

Bryozoans, commonly known as moss animals originated at least 480 million years ago.

Today there are about 5000 living species of bryozoans many live in the sea, but some species prefer freshwater settings.

In some parts of the world, like the Otago Shelf in New Zealand, Antarctica and South Africa, bryozoans are important for bioconstruction on the sea-bed. Tennysonia stellata, a cyclostome bryozoan endemic to South African waters is one such species.

Like all marine animals that secrete calcium carbonate skeletons, the fate of Tennysonia stellata is uncertain. Acidification of the oceans caused by man-made carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere may be a threat.

Species detail

Naming of Tennysonia stellata

Alfred, Lord Tennyson FRS

The genus Tennysoniawas named after the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson FRS (6 August 1809–6 October 1892). The species name stellata refers to the overall star-like arrangement of the colony branches when viewed from above.

Tennysonia stellata was named by the naturalist George Busk who described it as "one of the most beautiful objects in the class to which it belongs".

After a career as British naval surgeon, George Busk dedicated his retirement to the study of the natural world, becoming famous among naturalists and palaeontologists, and a friend of Charles Darwin. He was a well-connected man and fostered regular correspondence with the English writer Margaret Gatty (1809–1873), who was also a keen marine biologist. Margaret Gatty proposed the name Tennysonia to George Busk who acted "at the express desire of Mrs Gatty, to whom we have on many occasions been deeply indebted for interesting additions to the number of species, more especially of polyzoa." Polyzoa is an old name for Bryozoa.

About the author

Post-doctoral Research Assistant studying the molecular systematics of tapeworms and bryozoan evolution.

Author's quote

'DNA sequencing of Tennysonia stellata resulted in an unexpected scientific finding about its position on the bryozoan tree of life. The addition of this species into our analysis provided yet another example of the morphological plasticity found in bryozoan colony morphology. These findings were the result of a serendipitous tissue donation from a colleague and highlight how many surprising discoveries are still to be made in this field of research.'